WILDERNESS INVENTORY MAINTENANCE IN BLM OREGON/WASHINGTON (Source: Oregon State Office Internal Guidance as of July 2007) Year: 2008
Inventory Unit Number/Name: Greenley G ulch
FORM 1: DOCUMENTATION OF BLM WILDERNESS INVENTORY
FINDINGS ON RECORD:
1. Is there existing BLM wilderness inventory information on all or part of
this area?
No
Yes
X
(if more than one unit is within the area, list the names/numbers of those units.): a) Inventory Source: Intensive Wilderness Inventory, pae:es 23-25, March, 1980. b) Inventory Unit Name(s)INumber(s): Dietrich Cabin, 2-llD c) Map
ame(s)INumber(s): Intensive Wilderness Inventory, March, 1980. d) BLM District(s)/Field Office(s): Burns District - Three Rivers R esource
Area.
2. BLM Inventory Findings on Record:
Inventory Source: Wilderness Review-Intensive Inventory, Part 1-Final Decisions on
30 Selected Units in Southeast Oree:on, March, 1980; pages 23-25.
Unit#/
Name
Dietrich
Cabin, 2­
110
Site
(historic
acres)
4,580
Natural
Condition?
YIN
y
Outstanding Outstanding Supplemental
Primitive & Values?
Solitude?
Un confined YIN
YIN
Recreation?
YIN
N
N
N
FORM 2 - DOCUMENTATION OF CURRENT WILDERNESS
INVENTORY CONDITIONS
Unit Number/Name: Greenley Gulch
(1) Is the unit of sufficient size?
Current Unit Acres: 5,257
Yes
X * No
•The unit would meet the size criterion for wilderness study areas regardless of
size because it is adjacent to a Forest Service RARE n area designated for further
planning.
Description of the C urrent Conditions:
C itizen Information Received: On September 19, 2007 the BLM received a citizen
proposal from the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) for the 26, 798-acre Pine
Creek proposed WSA. ONDA included in their information a narrative report, maps,
photos, photo and route logs and GIS data with their route and photo point data, all of
which were considered as part of the wilderness inventory maintenance process for this
BLM Unit. The photos submitted by ONDA were taken in July, 2005. They identified
the Pine Creek proposed WSA as having no routes which met the definjtion of a
boundary road.
Interdisciplinary (I])) Team Meeting: An ID-team consisting ofBLM staff from the
Burns District met on August 27,2008 to evaluate this unit. The ID-team was provided
with ONDAs information (narrative, photos, maps) as well as BLMs past and current
maps and photographs of the routes and topography of the unit. The ID-team consisted
of wilderness, recreation, fisheries and range staff; wildlife, archaeology and forestry
were also consulted.
BLM's Boundarv Road Determination Process: BLM conducted a boundary road
determination process and found that several of ONDA's'\wys'are still boundary roads.
It is BLMs finding that ONDA's Pine Creek proposed WSA is not one large roadless unit,
but is made ofthree units, one ofwhich is this unit. (See Field Map 1 of2, Stinkingwatcr
Mtns. Wind Energy Project Area WIM Map, May 5, 2008.)
BLM staff reviewed ONDA's route information which indicated none of the routes within
their proposed Pine Creek WSA were boundary roads. BLM completed a route analysis,
including a field check to verify the current conditions for the boundary roads identified
for the unit. District staff also provided information about current uses of routes by the
public, grazing permittees, and BLM personnel prior to the ID-team meeting. The Little
Muddy Road is a route identified in BLMs current transportation system and is part
BLMs Facility Asset Management System database. The route known as Greenley Gulch
Road connects to the Little Muddy Road and has recently been mechanically maintained.
2
Boundary changes since 1980: There is little change to the southern boundary except
for the dropping of a 40-acre parcel from the unit. The central E-W access road from the
paved Pine Creek County Road to decorative rock claims and the U.S. Forest Service
boundary (Greenley Gulch Road and the southern half of Little Muddy Road) has
recently been maintained for transporting rock material by truck and continues to be the
northern boundary of subunit 2- 11D.
C urrent Unit Boundaries: (See BLM Unit Character M ap): Routes forming
boundaries were driven during field review. All have been mechanically maintained,
improved in the past and will continue to be maintained as needed to allow vehicle
passage for public land users. The unit is contiguous with the Forest Service Pine Creek
RARE II Area; the unit' s western boundary is the FS/BLM land ownership boundary.
N. boundary: W. portion of Little Muddy Road (6250-0-00) and Greenley Gulch
Road ONDA Photo Points: GZ11-13, GZ16, GZ1-4 BLM Photo Points: PC4-7 E. boundary: Private land and paved Pine Creek Road (CNTY 31 0)
No Photo Points
S. boundary: Private land No Photo Points W. boundary: Malheur National Forest boundary No Photo Points (2) Is the unit in a natural condition?
Yes
X
No
NIA
1980 Unit Description:
Dietrich Cabin subunit, 2-1 1D, containing 4,580 acres ofBLM land, is located 11 miles
west of the smal l, rural community of Drewsey in Harney County. The western half of
the subunit consists of the east slopes of Elephant Butte from which two intermittent
streams flow. The remainder of the area consists of a flat-topped butte with a stream that
flows into Pine Creek, south of the subunit. Juniper is found along the drainages as well
as in the rocky areas of the butte. Low sage and grass are common throughout the
remainder of the unit. The entire unit is extremely rocky. There is one and a half miles
of fenceline on the eastern boundary and two livestock and wildlife reservoirs within the
subunit. The developments are scattered throughout the area and are not substantially
noticeable.
C urrent Condition Description (See Unit Character Map):
The topography of the subunits is rocky, convoluted foothill country between the higher
ponderosa forest on the north and west to the lower agricultural valleys to the east and
northeast. Three buttes, including Elephant Butte, are located in the western portion of
the unit with Pine Creek flowing eastward along the unit's southern boundary. Greenley
Gulch cuts through the center of the unit and there are many smaller side-canyons and
intermittent tributaries. Stringers of Ponderosa pine extend from the upper forest across
the western boundary into the unit. There are many open, rocky, grass and sagebrush­
covered flats (big and low sage) with scattered junipers and thicker juniper forest
fingering down the draws, canyons and foothills.
The primary human uses in the Greenley Gulch Unit and surrounding lands are livestock
grazing related as well as recreation use, mainly big game hunting for elk, deer and
antelope. A road has been maintained to provide truck hauling access to decorative stone
claims and a community decorative stone pit. ONDA's report indicated the routes within
the unit are ways and have overgrown to the extent that they are not substantially
noticeable, even from close proximity, and that they do not significantly impact the
naturalness of the area as a whole.
Allotment fences are located on the eastern and western boundaries and an E-W pasture
division fence goes across the southern portion of the unit. Livestock reservoirs have
been built along the northern boundary (Greenley Gulch/Little Muddy Roads), but their
impacts on the natural environment are minimal. The unit, as a whole, is natural.
Below is a summary of developments:
Fences: 10 miles Reservoirs: 3 Decorative stone community pit: 58 acres Malheur Flatstone Claim #4: 78 acres Malheur Flatstone Claim #5: 6 acres (3) Does the unit have outstanding opportunities for solitude?
Yes _ _ __
No_...!.x~-
N/A._ _ _
1980 Description: The subunit is four miles wide and less than two miles long. The
western part provides little opportunity for solitude because of the low vegetation, gentle
slope of the land and lack of ample vegetative screening. The drainage in the central and
eastern portion provides a better opportunity for solitude than the western area but it is
not outstanding. The butte is covered with low sage and grass and doesn't offer an
outstanding opportunity for visitors to avoid the sights and sounds of others. Because of
the limited vegetative and topographic screening and narrow size, the subunit by itself
does not offer an outstanding opportunity for solitude.
C urrent Condition Description: No changes to the past condition of the unit were
identified by the ID-team relative to solitude. Greenley Gulch, located in the center of
the unit in a northwest to southeast direction, provides opportunities for solitude, but is
too small to be outstanding. There is limited vegetative and topographic screening in the
many open, grass and sagebrush-covered flats.
There are small areas of vegetative screening of Ponderosa pine and denser juniper on the
small buttes and in the shallow drainages of the western portion of the subunit, but they
do not create outstanding solitude. The eastern slopes of Elephant Butte along the west
boundary of the unit are also open, grass and sagebrush-covered with scattered juniper,
which offer no outstanding solitude.
Pine Creek Canyon with its steep, tree-covered upper slopes, is not within this unit but
goes through the rugged, adjoining Forest Service roadless area to the west and then
south of the unit boundary onto private land. The wilderness features and characteristics
that are within the Pine Creek RARE II Area do not extend into the BLM Greenley Gulch
Unit and the features which ONDA indicates make for outstanding opportunities for
solitude are not present in this unit.
BLM found the boundaries of subunit 2-1 1D have not changed and ONDA's
determination that outstanding solitude is present due to the large size of their proposed
WSA would not apply to this unit.
(4) Does the unit have outstanding opportunities for primitive and unconfined
r ecreation?
Yes _ _ __
No --=X=-=--­
NIA._ __
1979 Description : Opportunities for hiking, backpacking, hunting and horseback riding
are provided, but are not considered outstanding because of lack of challenge and
diversity.
C urrent Condition Description: The opportunities noted in the 1980 analysis are still
present. Deer and elk hunting continue to be the main unconfined recreation activities
during the fall season in this unit.
ONDA contends that visitors to the area can enjoy outstanding fishing, hiking, horseback
riding, hunting, photography and wildlife viewing throughout the area. Trout fishing
opportunities exist in the upper reaches of Pine Creek on Forest Service lands, but are not
available in this BLM unit. BLM agrees that the other aforementioned recreational
opportunities are present, but do not, either individually or collectively, possess attributes
which would make them outstanding.
S) Does the unit have supplemental values?
Yes
_
X
_;;;..;.._
No
NIA'---­
Sage grouse can be found on the large, open flats in this unit. One sage grouse lek has
been identified at the present time. A Mule deer seasonal migration route is located in
this unit as the animals move between the forest and the Stinkingwater Mountains in late
spring and throughout the fall seasons.
ONDA noted the Greater Sage Grouse as Federal Species of Concern and this area may
be habitat for the Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk and Swainson's Hawk. All are on
the Federal Species of Concern.
Summary of Findings and Conclusion
Unit Name and Number: Greenley Gulch Unit
Summary Results of Analysis:
1. Does the area meet any of the size requirements?
_x_Yes
_
No
2. Does the area appear to be natural?
___x_Yes _No
3. Does the area offer outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and
_ _Yes
X No __NA
unconfined type of recreation?
4. Does the area have supplemental values?
X
Yes
Conclusion (Check One):
X
The area-or a portion of the area-has wi lderness character.
- - ­The area does not have wilderness character.
Prepared by: David E. Vickstrom, Wilderness Specialist
No _ _ NA
Team Members:
CLS. Oa..vLuJ
/d-//0; 108
Lindsay Davies, Fisheries Biologist - Bums District
Willie Street, Range Specialist-Bums District
DM_U~
Date
JZ/Ih/zco"o
7
'oate
17-- (~- 2.4:)~
Dave Vickstrom, Wilderness Specialist- Bums District
Date
- Bums District
This form documents information that constitutes an inventory finding on wilderness characteristics. It
does not represent a formallond use allocation or afinal agency decision subject to administrative
remedies under either 43 CFR parts 4 or 1610.5-2.02
GREEN/ EY GULCH UNIT CHARACTER MAP
REENLEY GULCH WM Unit
NOA Propo$8d WSA
BLM PhOto Points
e
-
FENCE
-
Unit Boundaty Roads
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N
Paved Road
Prtmiwe or Unknown Road Surface
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